Maricopa Corporate College president invited to White House Upskilling Summit

Maricopa Corporate College (MCOR) president, Dr. Eugene Giovannini, has been invited to attend the White House Upskilling Summit on April 24, an event focused on achieving President Barack Obama’s vision of transforming our job training system.

Giovannini will be joined by Vice President Joseph Biden, several senior members of the Obama administration, and 150 employers, labor leaders, foundations, educators, tech innovators and nonprofits to discuss upskilling low-wage workers to better paying jobs.

Giovannini was chosen to represent MCOR at the event because of the college’s innovative approach to workforce training. MCOR is committed to Obama’s vision of creating a more efficient job training system by working directly with employers when developing skills training programs.

“Building a pipeline of skilled workers has to begin with the employer,” Giovannini said. “By engaging employers and assessing their needs, we are able to tailor our programs to meet the demands of the industry, ensuring students acquire the skills they need to secure the jobs employers are looking to fill.”

This event is just one of two key steps the Obama administration is taking this month to advance the president’s vision. The second step is the proposal of several reforms to the implementation of the Workforce Investment Opportunity Act (WIOA) that will create a more job-driven training system.

WIOA, which was signed into law in July 2014, created or updated several programs from the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 in order to provide access to employment, education, training and support services for individuals, and access to skilled workers for employers. The administration hopes to further the impact of this recent legislation through several proposed rules published on April 16. These rules include reforms that will affect more than 20 million Americans and $7 billion in annual training funding each year.
There are four major tenets of this proposal, all of which are aimed at creating a stronger workforce by training for open jobs. The administration aims to: ensure accountability for employment results, improve transparency for job seekers, strengthen employer engagement and enhance coordination and collaboration across programs.